[SMITH KOTZEN]: Review

Review by Chris Reidy (Adrian's fans)

(this is going to be a long post, so feel free to skip)

Before I begin my lengthy review of the Smith/Kotzen album (untitled), let me say that I am in no way specially qualified to write a review/critique of these two talented, professional musicians. Modifying an old saying: “Those who can’t, critique.” But, I have been a fan of Adrian F. Smith for almost 40 years- dating back to when my neighbor buddy played Number of the Beast for me around 1982 or `83. Dave Murray was the flashier guitarist in those days, but I was hooked by Adrian’s precision, tone (very Michael Schenker-esque, more later), and subtle brilliance. Since then, I’ve followed Adrian in and out of Iron Maiden. I’ve met him twice and on both occasions he was humble, soft-spoken, and personable. He’s not the textbook definition of “Metal Guitar God” and for that I’m thankful! Anyway, suffice it to say I’m a big fan of him and his music. And so, with any new music there’s always the tension between expectation and reality- same as with actually meeting your idols. The expectation is for something amazing and the reality, with Adrian, always hits (or comes very close). I tried to be strong and not listen to the early releases of the songs, because I wanted the entire album to just hit me like a ton of bricks. I had taken that approach with Bruce Dickinson’s Accident of Birth and The Chemical Wedding and with many of the post-reunion Iron Maiden releases and it always paid off. The impact was enormous! But, with Primal Rock Rebellion (2012) I was weak- listening to anything I could find on the internet before it was actually released. And, with S/K, I was also weak- watching the official music videos for “Taking My Chances,” “Scars,” and “Running” as soon as they came out. So, my up-front caveat to this review is that some of the impact of those three songs and the album as a whole was diluted, but it doesn’t change my overall thoughts on the album. By now, I’m sure most of you (in the Adrian Smith Facebook fan pages) have heard the album, so I’m not giving away any secrets. You have your own thoughts, I’m sure, so my review is just one old guy’s (54) opinion. My format will be some overview thoughts up front and then a track-by-track review as we go along, and then a wrap up. First off, this needs to be said: a HUGE thanks needs to be offered up to Adrian’s wife, Nathalie Dufresne-Smith- because it was her suggestion (if you’re married, you know a spouse’s “suggestion” is rarely anything so light) for Adrian to reach out to Richie about writing and recording songs. They had been friends with Richie and his wife Julia Lage for years, but had only just jammed around a bit; nothing serious. Nathalie has been a driving force behind Adrian’s heightened social media presence (posting a lot of videos of him on her Instagram and probably getting his own Instagram up and running), his book writing, and outside-of-Maiden musical endeavors (hosting a jam band for him at a hotel she co-manages in Soho, for instance). Way back in the day (1992), Nathalie’s brother Carl (Dufresne) was in Adrian’s band, The Untouchables and she used to manage the old Psycho Motel website. And, according to the booklet, she also co-manages the Smith/Kotzen Project for Inwood Productions LLC! We owe a great debt to Nathalie for her support and promotion of Adrian and I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge her contributions. Yes, I hear you: “We’re 3 chapters into this ‘review’ and you haven’t written a word about the songs!’” Ha! OK, overview thoughts time, then. As with his work with Dave Murray and Roy Z., Adrian tends to complement the other guitarist, not compete with them. He’s content to let his partner burn up the fretboard, while he offers up tasty, tone-rich solos and fills. Which, isn’t to say he doesn’t add flash to his playing, just that he takes a different approach. Richie’s playing and singing contributions are IMMENSE! That voice is high and powerful, reminding me of Glen Hughes. They blend their instruments and voices perfectly. Per. Fect. Ly. Song after song, I kept thinking: “Wow- that is a beautiful harmony,” or “Jeez, Richie went high and Adrian just landed the right vocal line underneath it all.” And that’s key: Adrian’s singing is a real eye-opener, even for someone who literally saw him sing lead vocals in the Untouchables and has listened to all the Urchin stuff. When power is needed, it’s there (from “Scars”: “ . . . *blacking* out the skyyyyy!”). But, he also finds those spots in the choruses where Richie is soaring up above everything and he adds a remarkable, understated part that fits perfectly. For instance, and also from “Scars,” there’s that great middle-eight bridge that starts off “Why, I wonder why time was on my side . . .” and then Richie’s voice takes wing, while Adrian just quietly sings “my well is running dry” and instead of powering up to match Richie at a lower register, he just softens his delivery. It’s brilliant and poignant, considering the lyrical content of that line.

And the lyrics, oh my! Both of these artists have DECADES of experience (rock-n-roll and life) behind them and it shows in what they’ve written. There’s no bombastic glorification of booze, drugs, women, or the rock-n-roll life. None. Nor is each song written to mystify and be allegory. No, the lyrics draw on the realities of two lifetimes in the spotlight, of people who want to use them for their fame, of having “another side” to them that not every knows (even though they might think so), and the struggle of living a huge chunk of their lives out on the “Glory Road” (“It’s nothing like you’ve been told”). The lyrics are grounded in their lives, not ours, but there’s a very real quality to what they’re singing about. And, overall, the takeaway is hopeful- change is good, renewal is possible, taking a chance can lead to something amazing, and you won’t get ahead (as a person, not monetarily) if you don’t take that chance. And, these are themes that we’ve seen from Adrian before- “Make Up Your Mind” from the Bucket & Co. album Guitars, Beers, and Tears and “Live To Learn” from the Greg Ridley tribute album. He often sings about breaking out into new territory and being bold. Whether or not that’s a reference to doing something outside of Iron Maiden is open to interpretation, but he has found ways to express his own voice over the years in various one-offs and side projects.

Musically, the album flows from that same well of experience and collaboration- a collaboration cemented in friendship. You can tell from interviews and their performances that Richie and Adrian are friends first, musical partners second. Much like his work with Dave Murray and Roy Z., mutual respect and admiration underwrites every song. They have different styles but are able to bring them together majestically. And while I can feel where one song might be more Richie’s creation (“Some People”) and another Adrian’s (“’Til Tomorrow”), what they have created is greater than the sum of their respective talents. The synergy is palpable. They also influence one another over the course of the album, IMO. The last 3 songs on the album may not have been recorded near the end of their session, but there’s a different feel to those songs than the others. While I think it’s pretty easy to pick out their individual guitar lines early on, by “You Don’t Know Me,” “I Wanna Stay,” and “’Til Tomorrow,” both guys have taken on tones and flash that is reminiscent of the other. Either that, or my ears completely failed OR they were both holding back on those early songs. But, don’t let me overstate their *individual* contributions or styles- it’s the partnership and collaboration that makes this album truly special. Oh, and speaking of musical contributions- both guys lay down some KILLER bass lines; impressive!!

The production is spot-on. This album is TIGHT: 48 minutes of great songs; featuring lots of soloing. There’s no fat on these songs; each note and section is necessary. And that applies to the solos- there’s no mindless widdly-widdly; the solos fit and are organic to the songs. The fellas did a great job producing the album and mention must be made of the clean, crisp mix by Kevin Shirley. Too often with Iron Maiden, I think Shirley has to dance to Steve’s tune and what we get in CD form isn’t as good as it could be. Maybe Adrian was playing a bit of “band politics” and giving Shirley free rein to show what he can do, knowing that Steve, Rod, and his bandmates would eventually hear the result? Regardless of that potential, the album sounds great, IMO! Nicko plays on “Solar Fire” and while his drumming is energetic, I felt that it was muffled. Maybe that’s just me? He didn’t come down to Turks and Cacao’s to record with H and Richie; instead doing his part remotely and then sending along the tracks for them to mix in, so maybe that affected the outcome? As far as gear, both Adrian and Richie kept it simple- two guitars each (a Les Paul Standard and his signature Jackson for Adrian and his signature Fender Strat and a modified Tele for Richie), a few amps, and a few pedals and that was it. I was pleased to hear some different (from his work in Maiden) tones from Adrian- more neck pickup tones and single coil brightness. Usually, he sticks to his high-gain bridge humbucker when doing Iron Maiden material, so this was a nice change and something he may have picked up from Richie, whose tone is unique. And, being a fan of Michael Schenker also (one of Adrian’s inspirations as a kid), I heard some shades of the “Mad Axeman” in Adrian’s playing- especially on “Some People,” where that jittering, syncopated solo was something you could hear traces of on MSG’s debut album (1980).

My song-by-song notes are ridiculous and this review is already pretty lengthy, so I’ll do my best to paraphrase and hit the highlights. Besides, you folks already know the songs and what you like when you hear them, right? I think “Taking My Chances” was a perfect album opener and first single to release to the public. It’s got all the elements you hear throughout the album- a great mix of vocals (Adrian on the verses mostly, Richie on the choruses), riffs galore, and soloing by both guys with their trademark styles. The mid-8 break even pulls in some jazz elements; which reflects Richie’s time spent with jazz bass legend Stanley Clarke. “Running” is a funky, gritty tune that packs a lot into a short amount of time. I listened to the solos (main solo, then the outro solo) several times and with the benefit of the cues provided by the official video and I still can’t exactly nail down who does what. Rather than chew on that issue endlessly, suffice it to say that whoever is playing whatever does so REALLY well! The chorus has more hooks than Adrian’s tacklebox (ha!) and on the last one, H belts it out- with loads of power and emotion. The last of the “previewed” tracks is “Scars” and rounds out the trio of songs put out to entice listeners to buy that album. Whoever was making decisions for the tease/rollout did their job- these songs give potential purchasers a full spectrum of what the Smith/Kotzen duo can deliver: fantastic, heartfelt, unique songs with impeccable performances. “Scars” shows off the contrasting and complementary vocal styles really well; with the aforementioned highlights of Adrian’s singing standing out.

Though I like them both, it took longer for me to warm up to “Some People” and “Glory Road;” especially the latter. Richie’s influence is noticeable on the former, while the bluesy feel of the latter radiates Adrian’s love of blues rock. For me, the abrupt and bombastic chorus on “Glory Road” took some getting used to. Both songs reflect the road/fame experiences that Smith/Kotzen bring to the table- a continuing theme throughout the album. Both songs also exemplify the tonal/technique differences- Adrian’s rich, gritty Pentatonic-fueled licks contrasting with Richie’s smooth, ethereal playing. The old bluesman ethos is seen on “Glory Road” with the guys trading off 6 second solos from the 2:57 mark to 3:33 and then there’s another round of call-and-answer soloing to end the song. A real six-string Nirvana!

The 2nd half of the album kicks off with blood-pumping exhilaration via the song “Solar Fire!” Despite the muddiness, Nicko’s drumming powers the song. Both guys sing their hearts out and I dig the line: “I’ll be living my life on the edge of a knife in the sun.” Richie’s vocals on the chorus sounds amazing! The two trade off solos in the middle, with Adrian leaning into some tasty neck single coil tone and Richie ripping it up with a flourish at the end. “Fire,” indeed! Up next is my potentially favorite track, “You Don’t Know Me.” Here both guys give voice to the downsides of living life as the “hero” of fans around the world- that too many people may think they “know” them, but that’s not the case unless you’ve been there with them. The middle solo section is probably the best tandem solo on the album and with a great “handoff” between them, at the 3:39 mark. In fact, Richie’s solo (from 3:39 to 4:17) is his best on the whole album- just dripping with emotion and phrasing that mark his as a virtuoso even more than his flashier playing elsewhere on the CD. The false ending gives way to Adrian’s fantastic, melody-driving bassline and results in another brace of solos which are jaw-dropping. I *think* Adrian plays the first solo, then Richie takes over at 6:01, but I just can’t be sure. Nonetheless, the soloing is Brilliant!!

The “ballad” of the album, “I Wanna Stay,” could be a cousin to “Wasted Years,” with its lament of leaving home and being away from the love(s) they leave behind. Richie provide the genesis for this song- the words “I wanna stay” haunted him until they wrote the song around that kernel. In an interview, Adrian said he played the outro solo, which means Richie took the body solo, and it’s a doozy!! Adrian’s ending solo carries his trademark phrasing, but he’s more expressive on the whammy bar and plays more flash. The song is SUPER good and a great tribute to Nathalie and Julia. “’Til Tomorrow” is in the running for being my favorite song on the album- it’s too close to call, I guess. Adrian’s verse vocals, driving rhythm guitar, and goove-bass lines must be mentioned. He just kills it over the last 3 songs! The middle solo is, I think, Richie’s- the voicing and feel seems like his. His playing is just amazing, especially here; where he seems to lift a page from Adrian’s book with regards to tone. The chorus just sparkles with his high vocals- I love it. But, . . . the MAGIC is in that ending solo, starting at 3:50 and playing to the end. God, if that’s Adrian (and I think it is), he just empties the bucket and KILLS IT!! That tone, the phrasing, and runs of notes has given me goosebumps each and every time I hear it. Where in the past I think Adrian has put the song in front or ahead of showcasing his immense guitar talents (with both Psycho Motel and PRR), here he just cuts loose and gives us his best solo since “Wasted Years.”

In summary, what Smith/Kotzen delivers far exceeds expectations, IMO. These two friends put their talents together to craft an album of 9 great-to-brilliant songs; with no “filler” to pad it out to 13 or so songs. Nope, they spent a month creating a 48 minute monster album wherein they support and complement one another to achieve something fresh, despite its roots in classic rock and blues. What more could we want, honestly? Well, a tour would be great, but the pandemic might derail those plans. A “virtual” or streaming concert would be fantastic and yes, I WOULD pay for that! If the “day jobs” for these guys (Iron Maiden, Winery Dogs) ends up shelving summer plans, then I would love to see Smith/Kotzen head back into the studio to capture lightning in a bottle for a follow-up album. They should- this music deserves to be heard by a wide audience. 9.5/10 for me!!